Recapping the 2024 Crop in Ohio

Shelby Fite is part of the second generation of Mann Farms, a grain farming operation in Jackson Center, Ohio. You can see her on RFDTV’s Top Crop.

Harvest 2024 flew by thanks to a dry fall, allowing us to complete the process in just 42 days on our operation. Corn yields were average to slightly below average, and soybeans yields were below average. August was dry, with most fields receiving a little over an inch of rain. This hindered soybean yields, as seed size was very small despite the late season management practices we tried to throw at it.

Regarding our corn, Pivot Bio has consistently year after year showed us a 10-12 bushel gain. Providing the corn plant with a consistent dose of nitrogen produced healthier plants with less firing late into the season. Plants also produced bigger, more consistently pollinated ears. Pivot Bio has become an essential part of our standard practice across all our corn acres. We’ve found it far more effective to keep it in the tank rather than taking it out.

As soon as the 2024 crop year wrapped, we began planning for 2025. Seed was ordered and inputs were booked. Since we are enrolled in the Enlighten Program, our Pivot Bio order was booked last fall. I often talk with other growers who are interested in trying Pivot Bio but do not have in-furrow capabilities on their planter. This was exactly our situation four years ago! Through the Nlighten Program, we outfitted our planter with a very nice in-furrow system that increased our operation’s corn yields immensely. I will always stand behind a company that goes above and beyond to provide the farmer with what they need to be successful.

For us, the liquid version of Pivot Bio remains our go-to. While tending the planter, I also incorporate additional liquid products, including a carbon source to feed both the Pivot Bio microbes and the native soil biology. Additionally, I use a proprietary liquid starter packed with early-season nutrients to give our corn plants the strongest possible start. Pivot Bio PROVEN 40 On-Seed is also an option and may save time during planting season, depending on the logistics of each operation.

I’m looking forward to 2025—a new opportunity to put seeds in the ground, learn new ways to boost yields, and move our businesses forward. I hope that mother nature gives us a chance because in the end she is ultimately in control!